Camera supporting harness

ABSTRACT

A sheet metal strap is bent and united at its ends to form a small trapezoidal frame including horizontal top and bottom walls, a vertical back wall and a front wall, a short upper portion of which is vertical and the balance of which slopes rearwardly and downwardly. The top frame wall forms a camera supporting platform and has a thumb screw for temporarily securing the camera thereto. The aforesaid frame and camera are firmly supported on the right shoulder of the photographer by a flexible form-fitting upholstered strap, opposite ends of which are flexibly linked to inner faces of end portions of a rigid metal saddle bar, arched upwardly therefrom, and pivotally and adjustably connected in a mid section thereof with a horizontal arm of an angle bracket, the vertical front arm of which fits against and is adjustably connected to said frame back wall. A web belt adjustable in length and extending around the left side of the photographer&#39;&#39;s body snaps at its rear end onto a ring on the rear end of said saddle bar and at its front end, onto a ring on the bottom wall of said frame. From directly beneath, said frame is supported also by a straight, rigid belly brace that lies flat against and is adjustably fixed to the sloping portion of the frame front wall, this brace being connected centrally at its lower end to a transverse arcuate belly fitting plate which conforms to the body of the photographer. A forward extension of the camera supporting platform provides a pistol grip for use by either hand in steadying the camera and operating the camera shutter. This extension also provides a padded support for a telescopic camera lens housing where this is desirable.

United States Patent [191 Jones Oct. 23, 1973 CAMERA SUPPORTING HARNESS[76] Inventor: Richard B. Jones, 9 30 Edg ehill Rd, San Bernardino,Calif. 92405 [22] Filed: June 18, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 154,466

[52] US. CL. 224/5 V, 224/25 A [51] Int. Cl. A45f 5/00 [58] Field ofSearch 224/5 V, 5 B, 5 A, 224/25 A, 25 R, 5 P, 5 BC, 5 R

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,603,134 7/1952 Burnamh.224/5 V X 817,207 4/1906 Wheeler 224/5 V X 2,746,369 5/1956 Beard et al.224/5 V X 1,179,063 4/1916 Aldrete 224/5 V UX 2,712,779 7/1955 Tolcher224/5 V X 3,180,545 4/1965 Southwick 224/25 A 1,111,012 9/1914 Dunigan224/5 P UX FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 117,055 8/1946 Sweden 224/5 VPrimary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-1erold M.Forsberg Attarney-Dana E. Keech [57] ABSTRACT A sheet metal strap isbent and united at its ends to form a small trapezoidal frame includinghorizontal top and bottom walls, a vertical back wall and a front wall,a short upper portion of which is vertical and the balance of whichslopes rearwardly and downwardly. The top frame wall forms a camerasupporting platform and has a thumb screw for temporarily securing thecamera thereto. The aforesaid frame and camera are firmly supported onthe right shoulder of the photographer by a flexible form-fittingupholstered strap, opposite ends of which are flexibly linked to innerfaces of end portions of a rigid metal saddle bar, arched upwardlytherefrom, and pivotally and adjustably connected in a mid sectionthereof with a horizontal arm of an angle bracket, the vertical frontarm of which fits against and is adjustably connected to said frame backwall. A web belt adjustable in length and extending around the left sideof the photographers body snaps at its rear end onto a ring on the rearend of said saddle bar and at its front end, onto a ring on the bottomwall of said frame.

From directly beneath, said frame is supported also by a straight, rigidbelly brace that lies flat against and is adjustably fixed to thesloping portion of the frame front wall, this brace being connectedcentrally at its lower end to a transverse arcuate belly fitting platewhich conforms to the body of the photographer.

A forward extension of the camera supporting platform provides a pistolgrip for use by either hand in steadylng the camera and operating thecamera shutter. This extension also provides a padded support for atelescopic camera lens housing where this is desirable.

17 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PMENTEDomwm 3.7671095 SHEET 8 OF 2INVENTO/Q fi/cwmeo B Jew/v55 CAMERA SUPPORTING HARNESS SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION such prior harnesses have not come into general use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple lightweight camera-mounting harness which is readily adjustable to fit thebody of the user so that the harness will be comfortable to wear forlong periods and so that a camera supported thereon will be held at alevel making it easy for the camerman to focus the camera in operatingthe same.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a harness as maybereadily folded into a flat space for packaging and shipment.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a harness having aforward extension of the camerasupporting platform which willoffer acushion support for a telescopic lens when a camera having such a lensis mounted on the platform.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a harness havingsuch an extension in which the latter is provided with a handle gripequipped with trigger means for operating the camera.

' BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofa preferred embodiment of the invention with parts of this broken awayto illustrate the construction thereof.

FIG. 2 is approximately a plan view of the invention taken onthe line 22of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 andillustrating the arcuate belly plate of the harness.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail front elevational view of the extension ofthe platform of the invention, and is taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a right side elevational view of the harness of the inventionas this appears when applied to the body of a photographer and with thephotographers left hand applied to the pistol grip of the harness aswhen actuating the camera (shown in broken lines as mounted thereon).

FIG. 6 is a front view of FIG. 5 showing both arms of the photographerhanging at his sides.

FIG. 7 is a vertical detail sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG.1 and showing the front straight arm of the angle bracket of theinvention adjustably secured to the back wall of the harness frame invertical parallelism with the latter and in symmetric alignmenttherewith. Right and left extreme positions in which said bracket may beadjustably secured vertically to said frame back wall are shown inbroken lines in this view. FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 whichshows (in full lines) the straight arm of said angle bracket secured tosaid frame back wall in an inclined relation with the latter such assaid arm has in the manner in which the harness of the invention isapplied to the photographer in FIG. 6. Alternate extreme inclinedpositions of the straight arm of said angle bracket when the latter issecured to the back frame wall are shown in broken lines in this view.

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 99 of FIG. 1 and showsa front view of the mechanism for vertically adjusting the belly braceon the camerasupporting frame.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary detail sectional view showing how the rear endof the web belt of the harness of the invention is clipped to a ringemployed in flexibly connecting the arched saddle bar of the inventionto the flexible upholstered strap thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The camera-supportingharness 12 of the invention preferably embodies a trapezoidal frame 13,on which a camera 14 may be temporarily mounted when in use, a shouldersaddle 15, a belly plate 16, brackets 17 and 18 which adjustably uniteframe 13 respectively with saddle l5 and plate 16, a belt 19 extendingunder the arm on the opposite side of the body from the saddle andconnecting at its ends to the saddle and the frame 13, and an extension20 on frame 13 for supporting a telescopic lens 21 of said camera andalso providing a pistol grip 22 for use in steadying the camera andactuating the shutter thereof.

The frame 13 is formed of an aluminum strip of sheet metal, bent, asshown in FIG. 1, in trapezoidal form, to provide upper and lowerhorizontal walls 27 and 28, rear vertical wall 29, and front downwardlyand rearwardly sloping wall 30. Wall 28 overlaps and is secured by bolts31 to an inturned lip'32 formed on the lower end of vertical wall 29.

Upper wall 27 is provided with a foam rubber cushion 33 for camera 14,and slots 34 and 35 are formed in said wall and cushion to accommodateupward insertion of the threaded shaft 36 ofa thumb screw 37 which fitsthe conventional tapped socket provided in camera 14 and by which thelatter is firmly held in place, resting on said cushion..

Rear vertical wall 29 has opposed arcuate slots 42 formed therein andthe front inclined wall 30 has a slot 43formed lengthwise therein.

An upper portion 44 of wall 30 is vertical and has mounted thereon bybolts 45 the forward frame extension 20 which has vertically adjustablysecured thereto by bolts 46 a telescopic lens support 47, the latterhaving a cushioned lens cradle 48 at its upper end.

The pistol grip 22 is secured by screws 49 to the bottom of extension 20and extends'downwardly therefrom. A shutter trigger 50 is provided ongrip 22 for actuation by a finger of the hand grasping said grip.

A clip 51 in which a ring 52 is pivotally mounted is fixed by one of thebolts 3l-to the frame 13.

The shoulder saddle 15 includes a rigid arched bar 57 extremities 58 and59 of which are angled outwardly and provided with bolts 60 securingthereto clips 61 in which rings 62 and 63 are pivotally mounted. A softupbolstered shoulder fitting strap 64 is suspended within arched bar 57by wire loops 65 embedded in said strap and linked to rings 62 and 63,so that an ample free space always is present between bar 57 and strap64 to permit the latter to freely flex into conformity with a shoulderof the wearer. The central upper portion of bar 57 is provided with alengthwise slot 67 for receiving a bolt 68 having a wing nut 69.

Bracket 17 is made of aluminum bar stock'bent at along an oblique lineand slightly bent again at 76. The bracket is thus divided into aslightly angled upper arm 77 and a straight lower arm 78. Arm 77 has aseries of holes 79 any of which may receive bolt 68 to secure bracket 17to arched bar 57, thus adding to the latitude allowed by slot 67, a verylarge additional degree of horizontal adjustability between bar 57 andbracket 17.

Straight arm 78 of bracket 17 has a single lengthwise adjustment slot 80for receiving bolts 81 having hand nuts 82, said bolts also extendingthrough arcuate slots 42 for adjustably mounting bracket 17 on framewall 29 in the wide latitude illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8.

Belt 19 may be of narrow web material with a slip buckle 83 foradjusting its length and is provided at its ends with spring-closedhooks 84 and 85 for snapping onto rings 52 and 62 with the belt passingunder the arm as shown in FIGS. and 6.

Belly plate 16 comprises an arcuately bent piece of aluminum bar stockwith a central hole for receiving a bolt 90 having a wing nut 91.

Bracket 18 is a straight piece of aluminum bar stock 'bent forward at 92at a slight inclination near its lower end and apertured to receive bolt90 so as to adjustably secure belly plate 16 to bracket 18. Spaced holes93 are formed in an upper portion of bracket 18 to accommodate bolts 94extending through slot 43 and said holes and receiving hand nuts 95 toadjustably secure bracket 18 to frame 13.

OPERATION The multiple independent adjustments among the variouselements thereof, provided for in the harness 12, are to facilitate theharness being applied comfortably to the human bodies of a great manywearers differing radically in size and shape. The harness adjustabilityalso facilitates shifting the camera vertically up or down or laterallyor forwardly or backwardly (before setting the harness bolts) to bringthe camera into proper relation with the normal line of sight of theperson wearing the harness thereby relieving him of the discomfort ofbeing compelled to crane his neck in operating the camera.

It is also to be noted that, with the harness 12 thus properly appliedto the body of a photographer as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a picture canbe taken along an axis inclined either upwardly or downwardly, merely byleaning backward or forward as the case may require.

For panning shots, the photographer needs only to swing his body in thedirection desired.

Being largely connected by bolts, the parts of the harness 12 may bequickly assembled for use or disassembled for packing, and of course,requires relatively small space for shipment. All the metal parts withfew exceptions are made of aluminum thus keeping the overall weight ofthe harness down to where it may be worn comfortably for hours as whenshooting a scene of continuing interest.

The harness 12 is normally made for application to the right shoulder ofthe wearer as shown in the drawings. It is to facilitate this that thebracket 17 is bent along an oblique line 75 to divide said bracket intotwo arms 77 and 78. It is only necessary to provide a left hand bracketlike a bracket 17 in which left hand bracket said oblique line 75 isangled in the opposite direction and then to substitute this left handbracket for the right hand bracket 17 shown in the drawings in order forthe harness 12 to be adapted for application to the left shoulder of thewearer. The only other desirable change would be to shift the clip 51from the left hand side of the frame 13 as shown in FIG. 9 to the righthand side thereof.

I claim:

1. In a camera supporting harness, the combination a camera-supportingplatform means;

a flexible, form fitting shoulder saddle means fitting downwardly on ashoulder on one side of the wearers body;

belly engaging means;

bracket means connecting said platform means to said shoulder saddlemeans and to said belly engaging means, and

a belt, adjustable in length, connecting to a rear portion of saidsaddle means, passing under the arm on the opposite side of the body,and connecting to said platform means.

2. In a camera-supporting harness, the combination a camera-supportingplatform means;

a flexible form fitting shoulder saddle means including a soft formfitting strap and a rigid overlying arched bar within which said strapis flexibly suspended from its ends;

belly engaging means;

bracket means connecting said platform means to said arched bar and tosaid belly engaging means; and

means embraced by said bracket means for adjustably relating said archedbar and said platform means in a transverse plane about an axis parallelwith the direction faced by the wearer of said harness.

3. A combination as recited in claim 2 wherein said last recitedadjustment means provides for a substantial selective shifting laterallyand vertically of said arched bar relative to said platform means.

4. A combination as recited in claim 1 wherein said platform meanscomprises a trapezoidal frame having horizontal top and bottom walls, avertical rear wall and a rearwardly downwardly inclined front wall, andwherein said bracket means embraces an angled bracket having an upperarm overlying and pivotally and horizontally adjustably secured to saidsaddle means, and a downward extending front arm lying against andvertically and laterally adjustably secured to said vertical frame wall,and wherein said bracket means embraces a belly bar which lies againstand is vertically adjustably secured to said inclined front frame wall,and extends downwardly to a connection at its lower end with said bellyengaging means; and

means for mounting a camera on said top horizontal wall of said frame.

5. In a camera-supporting harness the combination a camera-supportingplatform means;

a flexible form fitting shoulder saddle means fitting downwardly on ashoulder on one side of the wearers body;

belly engaging means;

a bracket overlying and extending forwardly from over said shouldersaddle means, said bracket being adjustably connected near its rear endto said shoulder saddle means and at its front end to said platformmeans; and

a second bracket adjustable lengthwise and connecting at its upper endto said platform means and at its lower end to said belly engagingmeans.

6. A combination as recited in claim 5 wherein said adjustable relationbetween said first bracket and said platform means permits the bodilyshifting of said elements horizontally relative to each other withoutrelative pivotal movement and then rigidly uniting said elements intheir new relation.

7. A combination as recited in claim 5 wherein said adjustable relationbetween said first bracket and said platform means permits the bodilyshifting of said elements vertically relative to each other withoutrelative pivotal movement and then rigidly uniting said elements intheir new relation.

8. A combination as recited in claim 6 wherein said adjustable relationbetween said first bracket and said platform means permits also pivotaladjustment between said elements on an axis parallel with the directionfaced by the wearer.

9. A combination as recited in claim 7 wherein said adjustable relationbetween said first bracket and said platform means permits also pivotaladjustment between said elements on an axis parallel with the directionfaced by the wearer.

10. A combination as recited in claim 5 wherein said adjustable relationbetween said first bracket and said platform means embraces meansproviding the following options:

a. of the bodily shifting of said elements relatively horizontally withor without tilting said elements with respect to each other,

b. of the bodily shifting of said elements relatively vertically, withor without tilting said elements with respect to each other,

c. of the exercise of both of options (a) and (b) concurrently,

d. tilting said elements relative to each other about an axis parallelwith the direction faced by the wearer without relatively shifting saidelements either horizontally or vertically,'and

e. setting the adjustment means to rigidly unite said elements in anadjusted relationship reached by exercising any of the aforesaidoptions.

11. A combination as recited in claim 5 wherein said first bracket istangent with said shoulder saddle means and pivotally adjustablyconnected thereto at the point of said tangency.

12. A combination as recited in claim 11 wherein said connection betweensaid saddle means and said first bracket is effected by a manuallyactuatable bolt penetrating said elements at said point of tangency;

at least one of said elements having slot receiving said bolt therebypermitting horizontal as well as pivotal adjustment between saidelements.

13. A combination as recited in claim 11 wherein said connection betweensaid saddle means and said first bracket is effected by a manuallyactuated bolt penetrating said elements at said point of tangency;

at least one of said elements having a series of spaced holes optionallypenetrable by said bolt and permitting horizontal as well as pivotaladjustment between said elements.

14. A combination as recited in claim 13 wherein a short lengthwise slotis provided in the other of said elements for the reception of saidbolt, said slot facilitating relatively short temporary horizontaladjustment between said elements, while said holes facilitate longermore permanent horizontal adjustments.

15. A combination as recited in claim 5 wherein said platform includes ahorizontal camera mounting plate, and a transverse wall extendingdownwardly therefrom; and wherein said first mentioned bracket has adownwardly bent front portion which lies flat against said wall; and

manually adjustable screw means rigidly uniting said wall and frontbracket portion while permitting the same to be readily adjustedvertically, horizontally or pivotally relative to each other.

16. In a camera-supporting harness the combination a transversely narrowcamera supporting structure which is symmetrical, when properlypositioned for use, with a vertical plane parallel with the directionfaced by the wearer thereof and close to and parallel with the line ofvision of an eye of the wearer elected for sighting said camera;

a flexible form fitting shoulder saddle means fitting downwardly on theshoulder on the same side of the wearer as said sighting eye;

a belly fitting plate; and

bracket means for rigidly connecting said structure to said saddle meansand to said belly fitting plate to support said structure in saidvertical plane,

said bracket means being readily manually adjustable to elevate ordepress said structure or to shift the same laterally relative to saidsaddle means to fit said harness to individuals varying substantially inphysique.

17. A harness as recited in claim 16 including a strap connecting at itsends to front and rear portions respectively of said harness and passingunder the arm on the opposite side of the wearer from said shouldersaddle means.

1. In a camera-supporting harness, the combination of: acamera-supporting platform means; a flexible, form fitting shouldersaddle means fitting downwardly on a shoulder on one side of thewearer''s body; belly engaging means; bracket means connecting saidplatform means to said shoulder saddle means and to said belly engagingmeans; and a belt, adjustable in length, connecting to a rear portion ofsaid saddle means, passing under the arm on the opposite side of thebody, and connecting to said platform means.
 2. In a camera-supportingharness, the combination of: a camera-supporting platform means; aflexible form fitting shoulder saddle means including a soft formfitting strap and a rigid overlying arched bar within which said strapis flexibly suspended from its ends; belly engaging means; bracket meansconnecting said platform means to said arched bar and to said bellyengaging means; and means embraced by said bracket means for adjustablyrelating said arched bar and said platform means in a transverse planeabout an axis parallel with the direction faced by the wearer of saidharness.
 3. A combination as recited in claim 2 wherein said lastrecited adjustment means provides for a substantial selective shiftinglaterally and vertically of said arched bar relative to said platformmeans.
 4. A combination as recited in claim 1 wherein said platformmeans comprises a trapezoidal frame having horizontal top and bottomwalls, a vertical rear wall and a rearwardly downwardly inclined frontwall, and wherein said bracket means embraces an angled bracket havingan upper arm overlying and pivotally and horizontally adjustably securedto said saddle means, and a downward extending front arm lying againstand vertically and laterally adjustably secured to said vertical framewall, and wherein said bracket means embraces a belly bar which liesagainst and is vertically adjustably secured to said inclined frontframe wall, and extends downwardly to a connection at its lower end withsaid belly engaging means; and means for mounting a camera on said tophorizontal wall of said frame.
 5. In a camera-supporting harness thecombination of: a camera-supporting platform means; a flexible formfitting shoulder saddle means fitting downwardly on a shoulder on oneside of the wearer''s body; belly engaging means; a bracket overlyingand extending forwardly from over said shoulder saddle means, saidbracket being adjustably connected near its rear end to said shouldersaddle means and at its front end to said platform means; and a secondbracket adjustable lengthwise and connecting at its upper end to saidplatform means and at its lower end to said belly engaging means.
 6. Acombination as recited in claim 5 wherein said adjustable relationbetween said first bracket and said platform means permits the bodilyshifting of said elements horizontally relative to each other withoutrelative pivotal movement and then rigidly uniting said elements intheir new relation.
 7. A combination as recited in claim 5 wherein saidadjustable relation between said first bracket and said platform meanspermits the bodily shifting of said elements vertically relative to eachother without relative pivotal movement and then rigidly uniting saidelements in their new relation.
 8. A combination as recited in claim 6wherein said adjustable relation between said first bracket and saidplatform means permits also pivotal adjustment between said elements onan axis parallel with the direction faced by the wearer.
 9. AcombinaTion as recited in claim 7 wherein said adjustable relationbetween said first bracket and said platform means permits also pivotaladjustment between said elements on an axis parallel with the directionfaced by the wearer.
 10. A combination as recited in claim 5 whereinsaid adjustable relation between said first bracket and said platformmeans embraces means providing the following options: a. of the bodilyshifting of said elements relatively horizontally with or withouttilting said elements with respect to each other, b. of the bodilyshifting of said elements relatively vertically, with or without tiltingsaid elements with respect to each other, c. of the exercise of both ofoptions (a) and (b) concurrently, d. tilting said elements relative toeach other about an axis parallel with the direction faced by the wearerwithout relatively shifting said elements either horizontally orvertically, and e. setting the adjustment means to rigidly unite saidelements in an adjusted relationship reached by exercising any of theaforesaid options.
 11. A combination as recited in claim 5 wherein saidfirst bracket is tangent with said shoulder saddle means and pivotallyadjustably connected thereto at the point of said tangency.
 12. Acombination as recited in claim 11 wherein said connection between saidsaddle means and said first bracket is effected by a manually actuatablebolt penetrating said elements at said point of tangency; at least oneof said elements having a slot receiving said bolt thereby permittinghorizontal as well as pivotal adjustment between said elements.
 13. Acombination as recited in claim 11 wherein said connection between saidsaddle means and said first bracket is effected by a manually actuatedbolt penetrating said elements at said point of tangency; at least oneof said elements having a series of spaced holes optionally penetrableby said bolt and permitting horizontal as well as pivotal adjustmentbetween said elements.
 14. A combination as recited in claim 13 whereina short lengthwise slot is provided in the other of said elements forthe reception of said bolt, said slot facilitating relatively shorttemporary horizontal adjustments between said elements, while said holesfacilitate longer more permanent horizontal adjustments.
 15. Acombination as recited in claim 5 wherein said platform includes ahorizontal camera mounting plate, and a transverse wall extendingdownwardly therefrom; and wherein said first mentioned bracket has adownwardly bent front portion which lies flat against said wall; andmanually adjustable screw means rigidly uniting said wall and frontbracket portion while permitting the same to be readily adjustedvertically, horizontally or pivotally relative to each other.
 16. In acamera-supporting harness the combination of: a transversely narrowcamera supporting structure which is symmetrical, when properlypositioned for use, with a vertical plane parallel with the directionfaced by the wearer thereof and close to and parallel with the line ofvision of an eye of the wearer elected for sighting said camera; aflexible form fitting shoulder saddle means fitting downwardly on theshoulder on the same side of the wearer as said sighting eye; a bellyfitting plate; and bracket means for rigidly connecting said structureto said saddle means and to said belly fitting plate to support saidstructure in said vertical plane, said bracket means being readilymanually adjustable to elevate or depress said structure or to shift thesame laterally relative to said saddle means to fit said harness toindividuals varying substantially in physique.
 17. A harness as recitedin claim 16 including a strap connecting at its ends to front and rearportions respectively of said harness and passing under the arm on theopposite side of the wearer from said shoulder saddle means.